EMDR Therapy
EMDR Treatment — An Effective Approach To Trauma Recovery And Healing
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy is an eight-phase treatment model that helps trauma survivors process and resolve painful memories. This is done by using bilateral stimulation, which typically includes eye movements, hand tapping, and auditory cues. Bilateral stimulation allows you to properly reprocess traumatic memories and heal from emotional distress.
EMDR therapy does not require you to go into detail about what you’ve experienced. Instead, your therapist will focus on helping you change the thoughts, feelings, and actions resulting from trauma. This also helps lower the risk of reliving the trauma.
The amount of treatment sessions required varies depending on your particular needs and the complexity of your trauma.
The History And Effectiveness Of EMDR Therapy
EMDR was founded by Dr. Francine Shapiro in 1987. While leisurely walking in a park, Dr. Shapiro discovered that eye movements can reduce the intensity of disturbing thoughts. Intrigued by this, she delved into an investigation. After much research, she noticed that when she moved her eyes rapidly back and forth while contemplating distressing thoughts, the distress began to dissipate. Over time, she developed a systematic approach that could be replicated and studied and is now widely recognized as EMDR therapy.
Multiple studies show that EMDR is effective and faster than many other trauma treatments. According to the EMDR Institute, over 30 studies have shown positive results using EMDR. One study indicated 84 to 90 percent effectiveness for people suffering from a single traumatic event. Another study indicated 100 percent for single traumas and 77 percent for multiple traumas. (1)
Who Benefits From EMDR Therapy?
Romero Counseling & Wellness specializes in providing EMDR for adults who suffer from trauma and PTSD. We also use EMDR to treat people with depression, anxiety disorders, and other mental health issues.
EMDR can address traumas caused by accidents, natural disasters, childhood distress, abuse, or war. It is also used to help heal those who suffer from social anxiety or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Moreover, people who struggle with depression, grief and loss, feelings of worthlessness, or negative beliefs can benefit from EMDR therapy.
How Does EMDR Treatment Work?
The EMDR process takes place in eight phases, which include:
1. History Taking
During this phase, your therapist learns about your background and trauma history. Then, a timeline is created to understand when your traumatic experiences occurred and the symptoms you’ve been experiencing.
Following this, your goals are defined, target memories identified, and present triggers explored. Before you begin treatment, your therapist will assess for dissociation and external and internal resources.
2. Preparation
In the preparation phase, your therapist will explain the EMDR treatment process and terms. Additionally, your therapist will teach you mindfulness and coping skills to manage distress during treatment and assess readiness to begin EMDR therapy.
3. Assessment
During this phase, your therapist completes an assessment sheet for the target memory. Your therapist assesses the components of the target memory (thoughts, emotions, images, and bodily sensations) currently being experienced. Additionally, your therapist will obtain baseline measurements of the negative belief, desired positive cognition, and distress level. Once the assessment is complete, the next step is desensitization.
4. Desensitization
In the desensitization phase, your therapist will instruct you to focus on the negative belief, body sensations, and trauma image while engaging in bilateral stimulation such as taps, eye movements, or sounds. Your therapist will instruct you to process the target memory until the memory is no longer disturbing.
5. Installation
The installation phase consists of strengthening the positive cognition identified earlier, to the processed memory by using bilateral stimulation to ensure you associate a positive belief with the target memory.
6. Body Scan
In this phase, your therapist will instruct you to do a body scan to ensure no residual distress or physical tension is associated with the memory. A body scan is a mindfulness exercise where you scan your body from head to toe in your mind's eye while noticing body sensations. Your therapist will ask you to call to mind the target memory and positive belief while engaging in a body scan. Any disturbance found is then reprocessed.
7. Closure
This phase is where the session concludes with stabilization exercises, such as mindfulness or relaxation exercises, to help you return to a state of emotional stability. Your therapist will encourage self-care and provide instructions on what to expect after the session.
8. Re-evaluation
In subsequent sessions, your therapist will review your progress and discuss the work done on your previous target memories. Questions about new insights, changes in attitude or behavior, and your overall well-being are explored. Based on the progress made, you and your therapist will collaborate to determine future targets and direction of treatment.
EMDR can help you see that what happened to you in the past is not happening now. As a result, you can build resilience and heal the emotional overwhelm your past experience caused.
Lupe Romero’s Background in EMDR Therapy
As the founder of Romero Counseling & Wellness, I first learned about EMDR while in my master's program and discovered the efficacy of this treatment modality shortly thereafter. A friend of mine completed EMDR treatment, and she reported that it helped her heal from her past. I then attended basic training at Trauma Recovery, and EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Programs (HAP) and soon realized that this was a tool designed for healing and recovery and even transformation.
I’m a member of the EMDRIA association and attend three to four trainings a year and two to three study groups a month, all of them EMDR-focused.
I have also had my own experience with EMDR, as a client, so I can attest to its healing capabilities. Moreover, I have seen the difference it has made in my clients’ lives.
Discover Healing With EMDR Therapy
With therapy, recovery is possible. Your therapist will provide you with judgment-free support and compassion. EMDR therapy with Romero Counseling & Wellness can help you experience healing and peace of mind.
Please call us at (623) 267-5596 or schedule a free 15-minute consultation to find out how EMDR therapy can help you.
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